SparkFun Forums

[silic0re]

Would anyone happen to have some measurements (that they've used to make a working footprint) for the solderable feet on the side (instead of the bottom) of the TCM8230MD 640x480 camera? The datasheet isn't very useful in the measurement department.

thanks

[henryhallam]

Agree about the datasheet. Beware that only some of the side "feet" are electrically connected to the underside pads, and in some random order that isn't mentioned in the datasheet.

[silic0re]

That's crazy! how are people soldering/using these cameras, then? With those tiny, hidden, underside pads?

[KreAture]

The underside pads are testpads.
The feet around the edges are the real connections.

If your footprint is correctly designed you just line it up and slosh solder along the side. If any spot links to an adjecent a bit of solder-wick fixes that.

[pellepl]

For the TCM8230MD I made a working footprint:



The dots are 0.1mm.

I've successfully soldered the cam to a pcb with this footprint, and it works - so far I can see right now, I2C works and the output signals seem right.

I can't send the eagle file until I get ok from my boss who is on vacation, but if you're interested feel free to bug me so I won't forget

[silic0re]

That's okay -- you included all of the measurements that I needed! 0.6 x 1.0 mm pads, with approx. 1.0mm over, 0.4mm in movement on the edges. The pins are 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, from the top left to right -- right? (Just like pg. 4 in the datasheet?)

My footprint is here: http://cogsci.mcmaster.ca/~peter/notes1 ... tprint.jpg . I included the via restrict layer under the camera, so that I don't foolishly forget there are those exposed pads on the underside. You probably have that too, but I imagine you turned the layers off for clarity!

thanks again

[KreAture]

The footprint I published for the TCM8240MD also contains the restrict, but I allow a thin trace on the inside there so one can route ground or power.
I think I posted full eagle file here, but anyway:
http://kreature.org/ee/avr/cmos_cam/TCM ... ut_1.1.rar

[nachox2002]

Breakout board with LDOs, and interface for 3.3V signals.

http://picasaweb.google.com/nachox2002/ ... 5944573762

[ghavenga]

nachox2002, you tease - that board looks really nice, is it possible to get one? (actually I have three camera modules!)....

Too bad you couldn't license / sell them to SFE or something...

G

[nachox2002]

now we are in test phase of the board (We designed this board for a bigger project ). If all it´s ok we´ll try to contact SparkFun for sell it. If you have any questions you can write me to:

nachox2002@gmail.com

[ghavenga]

So cool, nachox2002,

Keep us posted!

BTW: I looked at the other blanks you had on your site and it looks like you were putting together some of the same components I am (GPS, etc.). Whatever the project is/was, it sounds fun!

If all goes well, in my application, these camera modules will see 100K+ ft.!

G

[Tivon]

So far, my set up will be using a dsPIC33FJ256GP710 from Microchip
This controller has two I2C interfaces and a seemingly convenient i2c.h C library included with the Microchip MPLAB C compiler (initially I thought I'd be writing a state machine based on the PIC's I2C registers in order to send the camera commands).

I will also use an Averlogic FIFO to capture the data (cascading 2 FIFOs if necessary); although, once I get it there, I'm not quite sure what I'll do with it. Maybe try and get something through Hyperterminal.

As far as the camera goes, I had planned to use the Toshiba discussed here, but there looks to be some difficulties understanding it and interfacing it, so I decided to try the HV171GP first (the one from the SparkFun "get-that-camera-working" contest). Aside from the winner of the contest, though, I don't recall seeing anyone else who got useful image data from that device.

I believe I'm going to try the Toshiba again now, and I'm wondering if anyone's made more progress (especially with the JPEG compression).

[cas]

Just about to set off on a voyage of discovery with these and wanted to ask some advice.
Similar to may people here I am going to interface with the camera and log images to an SD card.

I am pretty familiar with pic's so this is my processor of choice. My question is, do i need the processing power of the DS pic or not?
The two devices i have in mind are:

18f67j50
12MIPS
3904B Ram
PMP port
OR
PIC24FJ256GB110
16MIPS
16384B RAM
PMP port

The device of choice is the PIC18 for me if I can get away with it (cost, size, power etc)

What do people think? Is the extra 4MIPS really essential to getting data out, storeing in memory and getting back into a position?

Any other comments appreciated

[Tivon]

I am using the dsPIC33 because it was simply what I had on hand.

I can't answer your question at this time, but I thought I'd respond anyway (seeing as how I posted that I'm using the dsPIC33).

[cas]

Thanks for the response Tivon. Just been reading over things again and it seems the camera is a master device which means i will need a PSP port not PMP port. Luckily both devices have such a port so the question is still open really.
Incidently, have you got anywhere with your DSpic, and what freq are you using? I know those devices can go up to 40MIPS!
Cas